Author: Terri Davis

Most know by not that Brenda is home from the hospital and hospice has been taking care of her. It is difficult and we appreciate your prayers. I thought I would share with you a way God speaks to me. Anyone who has known me for a long time knows that physical ailments have troubled me family for 40 plus years. Most of the time we have navigated our way through and we will again. Friends have offered words of encouragement many, many times. There have been times when a simple word has struck me. When that happens, I write it down, underline the verses in the scripture, sometimes even putting the date in the margin. Years later as I enter another phase of trouble, what was shared earlier in my life comes back in a flood. This has happened over and over again and it happened again this
week.

When I first moved to Wesley, we were working on rebranding the church with a new logo and website. A friend shared Hebrews 10:35-36 really for herself not knowing it hit me. I underlined it in my Bible and highlighted it a few years later. Earlier this week it was the key verse for one of my morning devotions. “Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For, ‘in just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.’” Now there is a promise I am counting on, something to look forward to.

It is a good discipline to create a way God can speak clearly to you tomorrow. My discipline and language has always been through the Bible. Over time it becomes so very clear.

~ Grace and Peace ~
Pastor Ernie

I am in the midst of my Lenten dedication and committed to fasting each weekend.  This past weekend has been a bit stressful and guess what happened.  Monday morning I ate too soon.  I gave in.  It is not a surprise to me.  I know the pattern.  I have done this enough  to know the way through.  Satan would have me give up and consider it a lesson learned and do better next year.  God, though, would have me double down confess the mistake and move on toward purity now.  If I wait, I compound the sin.  By confessing, as I have to you just now, I multiply the chance for growth and God’s kingdom is strengthened, and so am I.

Life happens.  It has many ebbs and flows, lots of things stress us and stress is a fertile ground for satan.  If you fail to reach a goal, like in 27/90, just get right back at it.  When we just toss the spiritual goals aside, it takes so much longer to learn what God is trying to teach us.  Stay faithful and that means when you fall, get up and keep walking.

~ Peace and Grace ~
Pastor Ernie

WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

I had the privilege Wednesday of sharing a devotion with the CBS here at church and used a passage I will be referring to Sunday. It is such a good word I thought I would share it in writing. Zechariah is a prophet during the time of the exile, after the destruction and he is called by God to offer the people hope for a new beginning. This is when the temple begins to get rebuilt and the city of Jerusalem has an influx of people. In the first chapter, Zechariah challenges the people to believe what God tells them, “If you return to me, I will return to you.” It has been two generations since Jerusalem fell. People have
been in despair for a long time and not everyone is enthusiastic about returning to Jerusalem. Most stay behind.

Those who go bring their despair with them. Moral is low and the work is tedious. Besides, they are building a temple, not a home for their family. In the end, the despair wins out in that generation. It takes a while before Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. One whole generation lives in despair and the learning is, they carry it with them from captivity into freedom. Despair is fertile soil for both satan and God. It can lead to giving up entirely or it can lead to hope. The difference can be in the person and most likely in the leadership.

Wherever you are in life, God promises, “If you return to me, I will return to you. “ He is not far off….

~ Grace and Peace ~
Pastor Ernie

We are officially in Lent now and I promised I would share some of my spiritual disciplines and exercises I practice during this season of the year.  Since Lent is a season of sacrifice and awareness, I fast during lent.  There are many different kinds of fasts and many reasons God’s people fast.  Sometimes we fast for discernment about a major decision or for healing both spiritual and physical.  Sometimes we fast for a friend or for direction.  Sometimes when people are grieving they fast.  Fasting is almost never an act of celebration.  It is meant for spiritual renewal, and that happens best with sacrificial decisions.  So we give up something for Lent, make a sacrifice.  And what is more, we dedicate resources to someone or something to empower the Kingdom of God.

I will be fasting every Monday and invite any who would like to join me.  I have already started preparing my body by downsizing portions and eliminating sugars.  Each week I will eat a light meal Sunday evening and then have nothing but water until Tuesday morning.  I plan to then make an offering of the money I normally would have spent on food ($2.06 every Sunday for an apple fritter for starters).  I fully expect this will total more than $100 by Easter.  That will be my offering for Lent.

Last year we focused our resources toward a ministry to the Ukranian people which became a ministry to refugees.  This year we are dedicating our resources toward a ministry to the Cuban people and specifically to purchase medicines that are scarce.  Each family and ministry is being challenged to raise funds from now thru Easter and all of the proceeds will be used to purchase medicines that will be sent through the district coordinator in Cuba and then distributed to the communities through the Methodist churches.  Together we can make a big difference.

~ Grace and Peace ~
Pastor Ernie

We are entering the season of lent, a time for reflection, repentance, and renewal. Many people are familiar with the concept of giving something up for Lent but sometimes do not really know why. The spiritual discipline of sacrifice is at the core of lent. God’s people spend more time praying, studying the scripture, fasting, practicing sacrificial giving. Often people will make a 40 day commitment to something that starts Ash Wednesday, this coming Wednesd ay February 22. We will have a special service at 7 pm in the sanctuary to begin our Lenten season. Each of us should consider this a season of sacrifice that leads to renewal. Here are some ideas:
Commit to
1. Read through one of the Gospels before Easter.
2. Help a neighbor with a project between now to Easter
3. Fast one day a week and seek God’s guidance for a decision. (I will be fasting every Monday if any one wants to join me. Let me know and I can give a little guidance).
4. Simply give up something that is a regular part of your life and dedicate the sacrifice to a cause, like medicines for Cuba: Starbucks Coffee, eating out, candy or donuts, etc…
5. Start each morning with a prayer for discernment: “Lord help me be aware today of your movement in my life and those around me.”
6. Go out of your way to encourage someone every day.
7. Call someone you need to reconcile with
8. Write a note to your parents if they are still alive and thank them. Share a great growing up memory. If your parents are gone, write a sibling or a friend.
9. Tell someone in your life you love them. Give a hug.
10. Memorize one Bible verse a week.
What I do every Lent is give up one thing in favor of something else. Usually, I change out something that is not so helpful for something that actually helps.

Make this Lent a season of spiritual focus and growth.

~Grace and Peace ~

Pastor Ernie